The Headmistress

3

Monday morning rolled around and I was scared to go to work. How pitiful is that? I'm a thirty year old woman and I'm scared to go work. If that's not the most depressing thing you've ever heard, I don't know what is. I went downstairs and made some coffee. Henry came down quietly and smiled at me. "Hey mom." He said and I smiled as he fixed his collar. I chuckled as he failed and I walked over and folded his collar down. He smiled. "Thanks." He said and I nodded. "I hate these uniforms." He mumbled as he put on his blazer. I chuckled again and got my coffee. "You look so nice though." I said and he blushed. "Oh Ms. Swan left her phone here." He said and this time, i was the one blushing. He handed it to me and i put it in my bag. She left yesterday after dinner. Henry had already come home by then and we had a conversation about why she was there after she left. I got my salad from the fridge and grabbed my coffee, putting it in a travel mug before humming. "Let's go bud." I said and he nodded. We left the kitchen and he grabbed his bag, handing me my keys. "Thank you." I said and we left the house after I locked the door. We went to my car and got in after putting our stuff in the backseat. Today I chose black dress pants and a maroon silk button down with some black stilettos. I wanted to be covered today. I just felt... violated, even though he didn't actually touch me. I was so terrified he would come see me. I drove to school silently and when we got there, I parked in my usual spot. Henry got out while I turned sideways in my seat to put my shoes on. I still haven't mastered driving in heels. When they were on, I got out and got my purse and work bag. I closed the door and locked the car. Henry smiled at me as he walked around the car and we went in the school. It was only 7.45. But he liked going to his art class early. I sipped on my coffee and he gave me a half hug when we got in the building and ran off to his class. I went to my classroom, forgetting I needed to give Emma her phone. I unlocked my door and went in, turning the lights on and I set my coffee and purse on my desk. I set my work bag on the floor behind my desk and got out my laptop, then started putting the warm up on the whiteboard.

Lunch rolled around and I took my lunch and purse to the staff room. I sat down with Ruby and Belle and Ruby immediately raised an eyebrow at me. "What?" I asked and set my purse beside me. I had pepper spray in there now. And if Jones tried to pull his shit again, I would not be weak this time. "You just... your outfit is so much different than the ones you've been wearing." She said and i nodded. "No longer trying to tease Swan?" She pouted. I rolled my eyes and opened my salad, right as the blonde herself came in, reminding me of her phone in my purse. "Oh Emma." I said softly. She came over to me and hummed, putting her hand on the back of my chair. I got my purse and opened it, hoping she didn't see the mace right beside her phone. I pulled it out and held it up for her. "You left this at my house." I said softly. She nodded and took it. "Thank you." She said and put it in her pocket before pointing at the mace. "You don't need that." She said quietly. I bit my lip. "I.. just feel safer with it." I said looking in her eyes. She shook her head. "No ones ever going to hurt you again. Especially not him." She said softly and I teared up a little before nodding. She smiled before leaving the staff room and i watched, then put my bag back at my feet. "Um what the hell was that about?" Ruby asked excitedly, causing Belle to chuckle. "Um.. she might've spent the weekend at my house." I mumbled and shrugged. "What?!" Ruby shrieked, earning dirty looks from the other teachers in here. "I just..." i started and bit my lip but before I could finish, Emma came back in. She set a bottle of water down by my salad and I looked at her. "I noticed you didn't have a drink." She said and smiled before getting her lunch from the fridge and going to leave again. "Uh uh Swan. Sit." Ruby said and Belle raised an eyebrow at her talking to her like that. Emma turned around with a raised eyebrow and came and sat beside me. "Did you two hook up this weekend?" Ruby asked and I sighed as I took a sip of the water. Emma chuckled. "No I just spent the weekend with her because.." she started and trailed off. "Because?" Ruby asked. I looked at Emma and her eyes were questioning. I just nodded softly before starting on my salad. "Because... Mr. Jones sexually harassed her after school on Friday and I caught him before he could do all he wanted to. She was shaken up and asked me to take her home. I stayed with her the weekend because Henry wasn't home and she didn't want to be alone. I left yesterday afternoon." She said and shrugged. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before going back to eating. "He what?! I'll kill that asshole." Belle spit and Emma hummed. "No need. He was arrested after it was found he had multiple charges of sexual harassment against him that Gold ignored when he hired him. He's in jail." I said softly. Emma and I reported it to the police that night. Gold was the headmaster here before Emma. He got fired three years ago for having sex with a student. And went to jail. Emma took over after him. She had gotten qualified but took a job here as an assistant principal. She was 26 then. She worked as an assistant principal for three years before taking over. She's only 32. Apparently she did all the heavy lifting anyways. "I'm sorry Gina." Ruby said and I shrugged. They didn't know how Henry was conceived. Emma squeezed my knee under the table and I gave her a weak smile.

After lunch, I went back to my classroom and graded some work. About forty five minutes into grading, Emma came in. "Hey..." She said softly and I hummed. "Are you okay?" She asked and i shrugged. She came over and kneeled beside me. "Regina." She said softly and I looked at her. "It's not your fault. Okay?" She said and I teared up. "Thank you for being there for me." I said softly and she grabbed my hand, kissing it softly. "Of course." She said and i nodded.

The end of the day came sooner than expected and I met Henry at the car. "Hey." He said and I smiled at him. "Hi love. How was your day?" I asked as we got in. "It was alright." He said and I nodded as I put my bag in the backseat. "How was yours?" He asked softly. "It was fine. I had tests to give in my classes so I didn't do much." I said and he nodded. "Can I ask you something?" He asked and I nodded. "So... are you and Ms. Swan like.. dating?" He asked and I sighed. "No kid. It's.. complicated." I said and he bit his lip. "Well you know I'm okay with you being gay right?" He asked and I smiled. "I do." I said softly and he nodded. "And... I'm okay with you and Ms. Swan." He said and I blushed. "Thank you sweetheart. I appreciate it." I said and he smiled. There was a knock on my window and I jumped a little as I looked to see who it was, rolling it down when I saw Ruby. "Swan's looking for you." She said and smirked. I sighed. I just wanted to go home and rest. "Okay." I said and she waved before leaving. I turned to Henry. "I'll be back okay?" I said and he nodded. I got out and closed the door, going back into the school and I went to the front desk. Emma's secretary looked up at me and smiled softly. "Hi... uh I was told Em- Ms. Swan was looking for me." I said and blushed as I barely caught myself saying her name. She smiled knowingly and nodded, picking up the chorded phone. "I'll tell her you're waiting in front of her office." She said and i nodded, going to wait by her office. She had a keypad to get in. Gold was apparently paranoid and had it put in.

Several minutes later, Emma came up and smiled. "Hey. I'm sorry I came as fast as I could." She said and i nodded. "I just wanted to check and make sure you were okay." She said and i nodded. "Yeah I'm... I'm okay." I said softly. She frowned. "No you're not." She said and i nodded. "I'm not. But I will be. I was the first time. I will be this time." I said and she frowned. "Promise you'll call me if you need me?" She asked and I nodded. She nodded and i started to walk away. But before I could leave, she said my name softly and I turned back around. She gently pulled me to her and then kissed me softly. We both pulled away after a bit and she leaned her forehead on mine. I bit my lip. "I have to go. Henry's in the car." I said and she nodded. "W-was that Okay though?" She asked and i nodded before going back to my car.